The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-14

|
OF whether gag law is to prevail in this
Mr. Thomas-The question is open for
| discussion.
MOVE TO ADJOURN.
Capt F. NJ. Hull-Mr. Chairman, | move
that this meeting adjourn to the first Sun
day in June.
Mr.. A. f. Mills second the motion.
Capt. Fleming-I call for the yeas and
nays
This was objected to on the ground that
in motion to adjourn the majority rules
and the vote is always taken viva voce.
Mr.. Thomas-As the motion TO adjourn is
| TO defeat the object of the meeting the yeas
and nays viii be called
Two or three gentlemen got up to speak,
when Capt Hull called for order OH the
! ground that a motion to adjourn was not
debatable
Mr. Thomas instructed the secretary to
! call the yeas and nays. but Mr.. w. II.
! Baker held the floor and said: 81 would
willingly vote to adjourn, but Dr. Bacon's
| term expires Dec. l. and if we adjourn we
will be without pastor for six months.
Capt Hull-Well, I'll withdraw my
motion.
Mr.. A. r. Lawton, Jr., said that he had
general powers of attorney from his father
and mother, and he would like to know
whether they were considered proxies in
this meeting. A committee was appointed
to examine them and decide, and it reported
favorably. The question was then called
for and the chairman appointed DR..
Houstoun and Messrs. Rankin, Crane and
Lewis tellers.
Mr.. Thomas explained that the ballots
We're printed with yes on one end and
MOI on the other, and as the question be-
fore the meeting was shall DR.. Bacon be
called to be our permanent pastorN the
''yesn end of the ballot would mean that
Dr. Bacon should be called and the mo-
end that he should not The ballots were
then distributed by Messrs. Rankin and
Crane.
PREPARING FOR THE BALLOT.
They were plain slips of paper with
powerful monosyllable on each end and
black line through the center marking
perforation. After the ballots had been
given to all the voters DIR. Houstoun started
down one side of the room receiving them.
As each ballot was handed him he called the
name of the voter or voters, for woman's
suffrage prevailed there, and it was power
full and if the person indicated was pew
holder or member in good standing.
Col. Olmstead called back CHECK"
and into the hat the ballot
fell. Mr.. Lewis followed DR.. Houstoun,
collecting the proxies as they were voted,
had been no whispered conversations. All
attention had been given the speakers, but
now heads were together, and the ladies
who wore serious and solemn faces were en-
gagged in earnest talks Pencils were out, and
pieces of paper, that were brought especial
ly for the purpose were being marked up
with little black lines that were stringing
out like picket fences from the words yes
and MOI that had been written on
the margin. Each was making his or her
own calculation, too impatient to wait for
the count of the tellers, and they did not
miss the vote by much, for the congrega-
ton had been thoroughly canvassed by both
sides and almost everyone present knew
how most of the others would vote. The
doubtful ones bothered the amateur tally
takers, however, but they pursued eau
tious policy.
SCENES DURING THE VOTING.
Fearful lest by crediting the doubtful
ones to their own side they might make
themselves think that they had won, and
afraid that the false hopes thus built up
might be dashed to the ground by the of
fetal, they, on both sides, credited the
doubtful ones to the other side, so they
might be sure of their own number, and if
on that count they had the victory, were
positive the official count would not disap-
point them. 1t was strange how few doubt
the desires of the voters were known Two
l2-year-old lads kept one of these tally
sheets, and it came within ten votes of being
right. The proxies were what meade the
hearts of many sore. 1t did not hurt
when an opponent voted once, but when
Capt. j. B. West voted for himself and four
teen others and Mr.. Baker voted proxies for
about five minutes without stopping, the
Baconites looked Respondent while the ants
Srier la1 inSt To foIy
the ballot, and then DIR. Houstoun began
calling out the vote to the tellers. Some of
the Score-keepers verified their counts as he
called the ballots, but most of them were too
nervous. Minutes were stretching them
selves out until they seemed to contain a
hundred and sixty instead of sixty seconds,
and as the end was neared they grew longer
still. AT last it was finished and members
pressed forward to learn the result, but it
was not made known then.
ANNOUNCING THE VOTE.
The tally was handed toChairman Thorn
as, who said: THE vote has been taken, and
the question has now been settled. We can
not all win; we cannot all be satisfied; but
we must have consideration for the feeling
of others, and ask you TO receive the vote
without any demonstration. The vote
stands 1856 noes to 119 yeas. You have de-
termined not to call DIR. Bacon
and carried and the meeting dissolved
There was nothing said by either side, but
a glance at the faces was enough to show
how each had voted. There was intense
feeling on both sides, and 1t was depicted in
the countenances that gave unmiStakable
signs of suppressed pleasure or grave disap-
polntment The friends of DR.. Bacon were
very much surprised that they were de-
feated by a majority of 81 votes After the
meeting had been in progress but short
while they saw that they would not win,
but they were astonished when they found
what they had termed the minority outnum-
bered them by SO large majority.
DIR. BACON INFORMED.
Col. Olmstead, the leader of DR.. Bacon's
friends, carried the news TO the doctor. He
had an unpleasant duty TO perform, but
with the announcement of the defeat he
bore his earnest and heartfelt sympathies
DIR. Bacon heard the result with evident dis
appointment, but quietly. He will remain
here until the expiration of his term, and
his plans after that are uncertain
No immediate steps will be taken to secure
a new pastor, and another meeting will
have to be called before anything in that
direction can be done. The committee
which represented the church in calling DR..
Bacon was Col. G. H. Omstead, Gen. A. r.
Lawton, Capt. f. NJ Hull and Mr.. w. l..
Wakelee, but the three who are here say
they will take no part in the choosing of his
S,tnpaSSnr.